Credentials Explained

What are all those letters behind my name?
That question is asked quite often. I know it's a mouthful. 

MSW = Masters of Social Work 
I obtained this degree at the University of North Dakota, Grand Forks. 
Here is the link to the program: https://und.edu/programs/social-work-msw/index.html
This link explains this best. https://www.socialworkers.org/Careers/Career-Center/Explore-Social-Work/...

I completed two internships during my education. The first internship was at Churches United for the Homeless in Moorhead, Minnesota. I provided individual and group counseling for women and families. The second internship was at Lakeland Mental Health also in Moorhead, Minnesota. I provided individual counseling and also led the DBT (Dialectical Behavior Therapy) groups.

I should also note that I hold a B.A. = Bachelors of Arts degree in Psychology from the University of Wisconsin - Madison. Here is a link to that program to see all that I learned: https://psych.wisc.edu/ 

LCSW = Licensed Clinical Social Worker
Once the MSW degree is earned then I took a state licensing exam. 
There are two steps to reach the level that I am at today. Recently the North Dakota State Board of Social Work Examiners have restructured the titles/letters of each license. So not to confuse the reader, I did earn the top level, LICSW, but as of 1/1/20, that will now be referred to as a LCSW. Here's a link to learn more about the levels of licenses in the state of North Dakota: https://www.ndbswe.com/article.asp?id=109

BCD = Board Certified Diplomat
The BCD is issued by the American Board of Examiners (ABE) to those who can demonstrate their ability to practice advanced-generalist clinical social work at a high level of competency. For healthcare delivery systems seeking a true measure of advanced competency, the BCD is the gold standard. For further information on BCD: https://abecsw.org/

Jesus I Trust in You,
Jennifer Anderson, MSW, LCSW, BCD